Plant-Based Product Sales Triple Since 2016

New market research shows a surge in online vegan product sales, as consumers become more conscious.

New data gathered by market research firm 1010Data found that the online sale of products with a plant-based claim increased 2.7 times in the previous year. Protein powders accounted for 78 percent of product sales—with books and protein shakes at five percent each—and the top three most popular brands were reported to be Vega, Orgain, and Garden of Life. “Consumers are getting more conscious,” the report stated. “They’re mindful of the products they put in and on their bodies and the environmental impact they have. As this consciousness increases, manufacturers are taking note.” The report stated that searches for the term “plant-based” tripled in the period between March 2016 and July 2017, with a noticeable spike in March 2017—which 1010Data attributed to the release of vegan documentary What the Health. Samir Bhavnani, the area vice president of 1010Data, tells VegNews that Netflix has made vegan documentaries more widely accessible to consumers and advises that “food companies may be wise to double down focus on plant-based options.”